Chapter Nine: Conversations

Don't own anything. 'Cept Ursula and Romulus and Aquilla and Remus' parents. Today's tidbit of info includes the fact that the actor that plays Lucius Malfoy (Jason Issacs) is in Black Hawk Down as a Sergeant (I think it was Steele). He was really great, and had a southern accent and absolutely no hair. grin None at all. Wasn't even a buzz cut. big grin Cheers!

Short chapter, lots of stuff that happens. Cheers!

"VICTORY TO GRYFFINDOR, 240 TO 90! GOLDEN SNITCH CAUGHT BY GRYFFINDOR SEEKER, JAMES POTTER!"

A loud roar went through the stadium as the Gryffindor Quiddtich team did a final loop of the pitch, arms raised high in the air. They did a couple of formations and a showy team move before landing on the ground and heading off to change. Slytherin team dove for the grass, scowling darkly, and stormed off to shower.

Remus was standing outside the locker room, waiting for Sirius and James when someone came up behind him. Slender arms slid around him, snaking up his torso and dancing lightly on his chest. Nerves fizzing instantly, Remus tried to jerk away. The arms tightened and a soft pressure was applied between the Gryffindor's shoulder blades – a forehead resting there.

"Hello, love…" A deceptively sweet voice purred.

Remus broke free and spun, coming about to face the girl. "Bellatrix…what are you doing?"

The dark-featured girl shrugged and smiled at him coyly. "Has anyone told you that you have a wonderful body?" She seemed to sway in place, spine rippling as if she were more snake than human. She rolled her shoulders slowly, arms rising enticingly to weave above her head. "All slender and firm…"

"You have a boyfriend," Remus said sternly. He took a step back and bumped into the wall that he had been leaning on moments before. "And I'm not interested."

"Oh, but you're so very interesting," Bellatrix seemed to prowl towards him, her fingers fluttering like she was parting beads in a curtain. "All quiet and darling, books and learning," she made a noise under her breath, resting her arms on either side of Remus' head, bracing herself on the wall. "Passion and dark in your veins…"

"You're mad," Remus murmured, his eyes widening as he saw something flicker in her gaze.

The whispered reply, "So are you…"

Remus flinched as the Slytherin locker room door slammed open. Bellatrix pressed up against him suddenly, sighing as if in pleasure.

"What the fuck?"

The Gryffindor door flew open and there was a round of startled swearing. Remus cursed lowly, pushing Bellatrix away. She only returned and wound herself even tighter around him.

'Oh god," Remus said in despair.

Sirius shoved Bellatrix away from Remus, and into Lestrange's arms. "Back the fuck off," He said harshly. His hair was wet from a quick shower.

She sneered at him, turning around to embrace her boyfriend. "I really don't like you, Sirius," Bellatrix said, voice soft with hate and anger.

"Well, that's too bad."

Both the Slytherin and Gryffindor Quiddtich teams looked at each other with anger and concealed confusion. Bellatrix whispered into Lestrange's ear, and he nodded. With a glare of superiority, he swept out of the crowded hallway with the rest of his team behind him. After a heartbeat and a half, the Gryffindor team followed.

"You all right there, Remus?"

Not knowing who had asked or what was said, Remus nodded, trying to avoid everyone's inquiring gazes. He glanced at Sirius once, bit his lip, and then looked back down at the dirt path. The team, being victorious and all, quickly forgot about the incident outside of the locker room, and started joking and laughing. By the time they were on the cobblestones leading into the school, they were loud, proud, and singing.

Sirius swore suddenly and stopped. "I forgot my boots."

James waved a hand at him. "Get them later."

Sirius shook his head and pushed James into the castle, "I'll be quick – save me a butterbeer, will you?"

"Hurry, yeah?"

The beater nodded and started back to the pitch. A hand caught his sleeve, and he looked back at Remus. The shorter was flushed, and still wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"She…I…" Remus stumbled over his words for a rare moment. "It didn't—"

Sirius stopped his embarrassed ramble with a light touch under his friend's chin. "I know," he said softly. "Warned you, though."

"I know." Remus still looked ashamed.

With a small smile, Sirius leaned over and kissed Remus on the forehead. Resting both hands on either side of his head, Sirius placed two more fleeting kisses; one on Remus' nose and the other gently on his lips. The dark-haired boy smiled again, ruffled the russet hair and then started back to the locker rooms.

Remus, trying not to feel too pleased, went inside the castle.

Sirius sprinted back to the locker room, bursting through the door and vaulting benches. He flung open the locker labeled with a dark paw print and rummaged about inside. He yanked out his boots, paused to loop them together, slung them over one shoulder and slammed the locker door. Darting through the room, leaping over the same benches, and nearly bashing his head on the wall, Sirius burst out of the room and staggered for a moment. He came to a dead stop, panting heavily.

"Bugger," he gasped.

Lucius looked at him coolly; green chasers robe folded neatly over one arm. He held a mesh bag containing the rest of his uniform in the other hand, but still managed to keep his arms crossed casually. His hair was ruffled from the wind of flying, windswept and half tied back. He was as tall as Sirius, as lean as Sirius, and a shade paler than Sirius, though that could be because his hair caused him to look that way. He wore loose pants and a fitted tee, with his usual array of silver jewelry shining with bright jewels.

Sirius stared at him quizzically for a moment. His hair was pulled back from his face, showing piercing in ears that matched the ones in Lucius'. He too wore loose pants, but they were smeared with oil and grease from working on his motorbike. His shirt fit close, but it was made mostly of mesh webbing - hardly considered a shirt at all.

They stood a few paces apart, silent. They were purebloods, both from rich families. Their background was similar, their family was similar, but where Lucius reveled in the power and riches, Sirius rebelled and sought freedom.

"Severus is trying to understand you," Lucius said finally.

Sirius cocked his head and examined Lucius again carefully. "Lots of people do that."

The blond shook his head, "No…he's trying to figure out what you and your friends are up to. Not your pranks. Not your schoolwork… Your secrets." Lucius held his breath for a moment and then let it out slowly. "I was almost tempted to let him to find your quiet little secret, but I had a feeling that it was a very dangerous one." He made a face, "I want to know it as much as he does, but I need him."

Sirius looked at him, aghast. "Why are you telling me this? I thought that he was your friend?"

Lucius, for the first time that Sirius could ever remember, looked away while talking to him. "He is," the Slytherin said, with rare softness in his voice, "and I don't want him to get hurt. Or killed." At the last comment, he glanced slyly at Sirius.

"Fuck." Sirius stepped past him, mind reeling. Lucius, despite his words and the confession that he didn't know the secret, definitely knew. Sirius shook his head and wondered why he wasn't more surprised. "You can't—if you say a—"

Lucius was suddenly at Sirius' back, talking over one shoulder. "I wouldn't. I don't give information to those who don't deserve it." He smiled as Sirius turned to face him again.

The Gryffindor peered at him warily, "What did I do to deserve this sharing of secrets?"

Lucius smiled and drew an invisible line down Sirius's bicep; Quidditch robes tucked under one arm. "Sometimes deserving isn't necessarily doing."

Sirius blinked. "Y..es…" He took two large, obvious steps back and crossed his arms firmly. "Flattered, but no."

Flirtatious manner abandoned like a false pretence, Lucius grinned. "Of course not. Interested in someone else?"

Sirius glowered at him.

The other grinned even wider. "And that is what will keep me silent about your secrets. Trade for trade."

The marauder stared at him. "I don't understand you."

"Good." He turned to leave, hair swishing in superiority.

Sirius caught his arm, "Oh, hey - do you know what's going on with Bellatrix?"

"Bellatrix? She's your cousin, isn't she?"

"Come on, Malfoy. I'll tell you the password to the South Tower backroom."

Lucius thought about it for a moment, all business once again. "Fine – she's just playing around. She has her eye on Lestrange, and she's only using Lupin – ineffectively, I might add – to make him jealous." He fiddled with the corner of the robe he was holding, smoothing out the edge. "Your precious friend is safe from our dear Bella."

"Good."

"Concerned for him, are you?"

"What's it to you?"

"Just an interesting bit of information for me, that's all. Call me…" He paused to preen, "Curious…"

"Curiosity kills the cat, Lucius."

"Indeed," the Slytherin seemed highly amused at this, "I, however, am a snake."

Sirius glowered at him, ignoring the polished smirk. "Well, then I'll leave you to whatever it is you do." He turned to walk away.

"Black. The password."

"Junith Gregora." Sirius pushed the door open and slid outside. "Just tap on the knot in the door with your wand while you say it."

The door swung shut with a clattered, banging familiarly against the doorframe. Lucius leaned against the wall, content.

-et puis-

Knowing full well that there was no butterbeer left for him at the celebration of victory, Sirius made a quick jaunt to Hogsmeade to pick up a couple of bottles for he and his dorm mates. As he was taking the main stairs two-by-two, trying to avoid prefects and other such rule-keeping figures, a voice snagged his ear.

"I'm onto you." Snape stepped out of the shadows of a statue, a foul grin on his face.

"Keep thinking that, Snivillus." Tried to go around him, but the Slytherin blocked his way.

"I've been watching your pathetic little run-down group. You think you're all so smart and witty with your little pranks and your silly oaths of brotherhood. It's stupid. You don't even like pathetic Pettigrew, and your precious leader Potter is a half-blind ego maniac with a broom permanently up his ass."

"Keep talking like that," Sirius growled, "And we'll see who will permanently have a broom up their ass."

"Go on," Snape urged, with a bravo most uncommon in the Slytherin House, "I know that if you start another fight you'll get expelled. Just give me a reason to report you!"

"Shove off, Snape." Sirius snarled, knowing full well that the slimy git was telling the truth. "Leave us alone, will you?"

Snape laughed, which was another thing that Sirius had never seen from him. "Leave you alone? You're one to talk! What do you think you are – better than the rest of us?

"No," Sirius said dangerously, "We don't."

"You could have fooled the entire dammed student body! That Lupin boy – all those sick days he takes… What kind of information do you hold on the teachers?" Snape's dark eyes glittered with malice, as he delighted in how Sirius was reacting to the entire conversation. "Or is it that he's just that much of a pathetic wreck that he needs to—"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT REMUS LUPIN," Sirius roared, finally snapping, "SO KEEP YOUR BLOODY MOUTH SHUT!"

"What's this? Defending the little weakling? Can't defend himself, can he? Is that why you keep a close watch on him, Black? Is that why you sneak off with him? Under an invisibility cloak? At the full moon?" Snape grinned again, and Sirius knew in an instant that he knew. He knew about Remus. "Always getting sick, he is, always looking pale – ugly and peakish—"

"Do not call him ugly, you bitter, greasy wanker. He is better looking than you could ever imagine yourself to be."

Snape snorted, raising a thin, skeptical eyebrow. "Why do you think you can wander the school after hours, hmm?"

"There's nothing going on."

"I doubt that. I know you know the passages around here. Sneaking out? Plotting? Planning?"

"None of your business."

"So there is something? I knew it. And when I look inside the Shrieking Shack, I'll have all the proof I need. I'll finally get you expelled and out of this school…"

Sirius spun to face Snape, trying one last meager attempt to shake off the Slytherin. "You think so, do you? I'm telling you that there's nothing going on and that there's nothing there."

"Oh? Then you won't mind if I go there, do you? Afraid that I'll catch you? " Eyes were lifted in a silent challenge.

Sirius stilled as he forced himself not to drop the Butterbeer bottles and smash Snape in the face – several times. "You know what, Snivillus," Sirius hissed uncharacteristically, "I hope that you do. Because then you'll get what you deserve and I'm fairly convinced that you'll leave us alone." With that final goading warning, Sirius turned and vanished into the darkness of the hall.

-et puis-

Breathing a sigh of welcomed relief, Sirius jogged through the open door of the fifth year boys. Leaning over his bed, the winded marauder flung open his arms and dumped the bottles onto the crimson bedspread. The Quiddtich victory party had been put to rest earlier than expected, due largely to McGonagall and her love of sleeping in the quiet.

"Still alive!" Sirius crowed.

James, who was lounging lazily on his back, reached upside-down across the gap between their beds and groped blindly for a bottle. "What took so long? You missed it all."

"Ran into Peeves," Sirius said with a wince, tugging at the remnants of a webbing wonder that the ghost had thrown at him. He ignored the earlier events of his evening and popped open a bottle of butterbeer, long gone warm. "Maybe we should add ghosts to the map?"

-sobs- Sirius, no!

Sirius: -sighs- I hafta. JK made it that way.

Me: You'd never betray Remus!

Sirius: -unhappily- Apparently I did.

Me: -sobs-

Sirius: Well, just pretend I didn't – you ignored the fact that James started the marauder's map.

Me: That's different… -sobs-

Sirius: Geez, you're freaking me out, here…

Me: -sobs-